Xilinx A Couple of questions

I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.

First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
found out that I would have to buy a
$300 I/O software package WRONG!!!

Second, the kit from Digikey does the
Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?


Thanks,
Dave

EE123

If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
that actually made it.

You'll find more answers here:
<http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>



EE123 wrote:
> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
>
> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
> found out that I would have to buy a
> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
>
> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
>
>
> Thanks,
> Dave

ghelbig@lycos.com

Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...

I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface, and
all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am using
them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy to
get off the ground with this...

An absolute steal for $149...

http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US

<\end sales pitch>
Haha.
Ben



<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
>
> If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
> that actually made it.
>
> You'll find more answers here:
> <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
>
>
>
> EE123 wrote:
>> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
>> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
>> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
>>
>> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
>> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
>> found out that I would have to buy a
>> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
>>
>> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
>> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
>> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
>> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Dave
>

Benjamin Todd

Benjamin Todd wrote:
> Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
> xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...
>
> I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
> training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface, and
> all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am using
> them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
> etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
> cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
> examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy to
> get off the ground with this...
>
> An absolute steal for $149...
>
> http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US
>
> <\end sales pitch>
> Haha.
> Ben
>
>
>
> <> wrote in message
> news: oups.com...
> >
> > If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
> > that actually made it.
> >
> > You'll find more answers here:
> > <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
> >
> >
> >
> > EE123 wrote:
> >> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
> >> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
> >> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
> >>
> >> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
> >> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
> >> found out that I would have to buy a
> >> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
> >>
> >> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
> >> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
> >> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
> >> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
> >>
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Dave
> >


If it doesn't have a programming cable,
how does it program the chips?

Dave

EE123

Benjamin Todd wrote:
> Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
> xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...
>
> I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
> training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface, and
> all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am using
> them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
> etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
> cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
> examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy to
> get off the ground with this...
>
> An absolute steal for $149...
>
> http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US
>
> <\end sales pitch>
> Haha.
> Ben
>
>
>
> <> wrote in message
> news: oups.com...
> >
> > If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
> > that actually made it.
> >
> > You'll find more answers here:
> > <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
> >
> >
> >
> > EE123 wrote:
> >> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
> >> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
> >> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
> >>
> >> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
> >> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
> >> found out that I would have to buy a
> >> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
> >>
> >> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
> >> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
> >> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
> >> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
> >>
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Dave
> >


If it doesn't have a programming cable,
how does it program the chips?

Dave

EE123

EE123 wrote:
> Benjamin Todd wrote:
> > Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
> > xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...
> >
> > I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
> > training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface, and
> > all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am using
> > them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
> > etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
> > cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
> > examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy to
> > get off the ground with this...
> >
> > An absolute steal for $149...
> >
> > http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US
> >
> > <\end sales pitch>
> > Haha.
> > Ben
> >
> >
> >
> > <> wrote in message
> > news: oups.com...
> > >
> > > If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
> > > that actually made it.
> > >
> > > You'll find more answers here:
> > > <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > EE123 wrote:
> > >> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
> > >> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
> > >> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
> > >>
> > >> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
> > >> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
> > >> found out that I would have to buy a
> > >> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
> > >>
> > >> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
> > >> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
> > >> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
> > >> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >> Dave
> > >
>
>
> If it doesn't have a programming cable,
> how does it program the chips?
>
> Dave

The chips can be programmed via the board's USB port. It comes with a
USB cable. The chips can also be programmed using a parallel port JTAG
cable. That cable does not come with the board, but is available from
Digilent The board is also available from Digilent (I'm a happy
Digilent customer). Both Digilent and Xilinx sell the board for the
same price.
-Dave Pollum

Dave Pollum

It has a USB controller that is recognised as a platform USB cable. All you
do is plug the USB cable into your PC. When you start Impact it
automatically detects the cable and boundary scan chain.
You can also program it through SPI, stand alone JTAG and a microprocessor,
and other ways, have a look at the user guide if you're interested:

http://www.xilinx.com/bvdocs/userguides/ug230.pdf

page 28 describes the USB...
Ben

"EE123" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
>
> Benjamin Todd wrote:
>> Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
>> xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...
>>
>> I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
>> training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface,
>> and
>> all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am
>> using
>> them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
>> etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
>> cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
>> examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy
>> to
>> get off the ground with this...
>>
>> An absolute steal for $149...
>>
>> http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US
>>
>> <\end sales pitch>
>> Haha.
>> Ben
>>
>>
>>
>> <> wrote in message
>> news: oups.com...
>> >
>> > If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
>> > that actually made it.
>> >
>> > You'll find more answers here:
>> > <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > EE123 wrote:
>> >> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
>> >> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
>> >> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
>> >>
>> >> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
>> >> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
>> >> found out that I would have to buy a
>> >> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
>> >>
>> >> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
>> >> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
>> >> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
>> >> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Dave
>> >
>
>
> If it doesn't have a programming cable,
> how does it program the chips?
>
> Dave
>

Benjamin Todd

Benjamin Todd wrote:
> It has a USB controller that is recognised as a platform USB cable. All you
> do is plug the USB cable into your PC. When you start Impact it
> automatically detects the cable and boundary scan chain.
> You can also program it through SPI, stand alone JTAG and a microprocessor,
> and other ways, have a look at the user guide if you're interested:
>
> http://www.xilinx.com/bvdocs/userguides/ug230.pdf
>
> page 28 describes the USB...
> Ben
>
> "EE123" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
> >
> > Benjamin Todd wrote:
> >> Dave, In terms of starter kits... I have had a great experience with the
> >> xilinx HW-SPAR3E-SK-US...
> >>
> >> I can _really_ recommend this Spartan 3E starter kit. It's an excellent
> >> training ground for FPGA design, it has a simple programming interface,
> >> and
> >> all the peripherals you could consider using. I bought a pile and am
> >> using
> >> them as all sorts of wierd and wonderful things, simulators, testers. etc
> >> etc. Use web-pack to make the code, all free. Doesn't need a programming
> >> cable either. Plus, more interestingly, it has a fully documented set of
> >> examples, source code and stuff like that, even picoblaze is pretty easy
> >> to
> >> get off the ground with this...
> >>
> >> An absolute steal for $149...
> >>
> >> http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xebiz/des...W-SPAR3E-SK-US
> >>
> >> <\end sales pitch>
> >> Haha.
> >> Ben
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> <> wrote in message
> >> news: oups.com...
> >> >
> >> > If I were to buy a Xilinx DevKit, I'd buy it from Xilinx or the people
> >> > that actually made it.
> >> >
> >> > You'll find more answers here:
> >> > <http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > EE123 wrote:
> >> >> I am loooking at getting a Xilinx development kit
> >> >> from Digikey and I have a couple of questions.
> >> >> I am using an IBM PC running Win 2000 XP.
> >> >>
> >> >> First, is the Xilinx kit complete? I bought
> >> >> an Atmel kit a coupe of years ago and
> >> >> found out that I would have to buy a
> >> >> $300 I/O software package WRONG!!!
> >> >>
> >> >> Second, the kit from Digikey does the
> >> >> Spartan but not the Virtex. Where
> >> >> do you get the Virtex sofdtware?
> >> >> Is that available from Xilinx exclusively?
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks,
> >> >> Dave
> >> >
> >
> >
> > If it doesn't have a programming cable,
> > how does it program the chips?
> >
> > Dave
> >



Do I need a software driver or is a driver included
with the package?

Dave

EE123

It's all in there.

You'll find more answers here:
<http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/>


EE123 wrote:

>
> Do I need a software driver or is a driver included
> with the package?
>
> Dave

ghelbig@lycos.com